Where in the World is Lina Inverse
by Findel
Summary: AU fic. The world lives in fear of the great female theif Lina Inverse and her band of criminals. It is up to the Acme detective agency to stop her. Can they keep up on their own or will they have to dig into Lina's past and find the only person that coul
1. All too Easy

**Where in the World is Lina Inverse**

**Prologue**

**All too Easy**

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Well my winter sabbatical is over and I've found it a bit harder to start up my other two Slayers fics so I'm going to see if writing this will help my creativity began to come. As for the idea behind this...well just blame my younger brother for downloading and playing, 'Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego," by Rockapella while I was in earshot.

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Lina sighed as she stood near a corner in the ballroom. She was a unwelcome guest at a large party held by the millionaire Calvin Maxwell. She stood off to the side as she watched the bigwigs of the corporate world mix and mingle together. Lina watched as the men made their deals with each other while their wives gossiped about every useless thing that they could. Every once in a while the band would play and people would dance but in Lina's eyes they were terrible at all types of ballroom dancing. 'I learned more while working as an agent for Acme then these people have learned in their pampered lives,' She thought disdainfully as she waited for the right time to strike her target.

Her target was Elaine Maxwell, the wife of Calvin, and the owner of one of the largest diamond brooches in the world resting on her neck. The diamond sparkled in the light of the large ballroom and was quite the talk of the night. As Lina sipped from her glass of Champaign she wondered how long it would take for Mrs. Maxwell to move into a more accessible area of the ballroom. Lina finished off the glass and handed to one of the many waiters in the room before moving towards the center of the room. She had seen the the band begin to tune up and knew another waltz was coming up. 'Now just to grab some novice and lead him towards the target,' Lina thought as she slowly moved into the crowd.

After a few moments she had found a what she was looking for. With a smile on her face she walked up to the young man and asked seductively, "So big boy want to dance?"

The young man nodded as he moved closer to Lina. They took their positions as the band began to play. Lina and her pawn danced with the rest of the crowd as the band continued to play. The only difference was Lina was skillfully moving her partner towards the Maxwell's as they danced like the rest of them. As the song began to wind down Lina made her move and added one more step towards the Maxwell's as the last notes came up. As the partners backed away and bowed Lina made her move. She bowed a little off center from her partner which she used to block the view of her hand undoing the necklace that held Mrs. Maxwell's diamond brooch on her neck. She slowly shifted the necklace before releasing one side of the necklace. The momentum of shifting the necklace caused the loose side to swing towards Lina and in a quick motion she palmed the entire necklace before standing back up. With her ill gotten gain held tightly against her Lina excused herself to the restroom. "That was easy...all too easy," Lina said lowly as she went towards the coat room. The attendant looked up to see her and smiled before saying, "Time to make a big exit I see Miss Inverse?"

"Yep, this party has gotten dull but your information was very useful. I'll see you at the boat Henry," Lina replied as she received her red fedora and trench coat from Henry.

"As you wish...I'm always her to serve," Henry answered as he bowed to the woman he worked for.

Lina smiled as she headed back into the ballroom with her items under her arm. She made her way to the side of the room near the biggest window in the room. As she waited for her moment she watched the party goers. As she waited she heard a car horn go off twice which was the signal that her ride was here. She smiled as she placed the fedora on her head and began to put on the bright red trench coat. It was as she finished putting on her coat that a scream was let out from the other side of the room. The party stopped as Mrs. Maxwell shouted, "My brooch...my brooch where is it!"

"Looking for this," Lina called as she held up the brooch.

The whole crowd turned and looked to see the woman in the red fedora and trench coat. It was then that all in the room knew they had been had. "I'll be taking it... don't feel bad you had to go up against the best, Lina Inverse," Lina called before jumping through the window as some of the men tried to tackle her. She then leaped onto the balcony railing and shouted, "See ya losers!"

Lina bound over the hedge that was just below and before landing on the ground in front of a running car. She jumped into the backseat of the car and said, "Drive."

The man in the front nodded and took off as party guess began to run out of the large mansion. As Lina looked back at those that tried to chase her see sighed before turning back to face the driver. "Take me home...tonight has been boring," Lina said as she settled into the leather seat of the car.

Lina sighed again as she took the brooch out of her pocket and looked at it in the small amount of light from the street lamps that the car passed. 'That was way too easy for any kind of challenge. Why hasn't Acme at least sent one agent to try and stop me? I know that they got bombed but that was ten years ago...I would think they would've recovered by now.'

Lina looked out at the stars as they traveled on a country back road. She sighed and thought again, 'You would give me a chase wouldn't you. Your the only person that could ever keep up with me when I was at Acme and you still haven't shown...have they assigned you a desk job...or have you given up.'

Lina continued to think about her past as her car continue to motor down the road towards what she no called home.

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Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to size=1 width=100% noshade> 


	2. Target Found

**Where in the World is Lina Inverse**

**Chapter: 1**

**Target Found**

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Next chapter up and let the story truly begin.

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Inside the Acme detective agency it looked like a war zone. Desk agents fielding calls while others running files back and forth to were they needed to go. Ever since Lina's last caper the agency had been inundated with calls wondering when the thief would be caught. It was through this mass of chaos that one could find the office of the chief of operations. Inside the office the young chief went through the newest case file about the female thief. She sighed as she flipped the page to come to a photo of Lina Inverse. 'To think she was one of our agents almost ten years...before she gave away our secrets so that we were attacked by a bomber,' thought the young chief before looking away from the file.

She ran a hand through her golden blonde hair before her deep blue eyes focused back on the file in front of her. She continued to think on her biggest problem when her door opened and in walked one of her new agents. Filia smiled at the young girl before asking, "What can I do for you Amelia?"

Amelia smiled back at the chief as she moved towards her desk. The young girl named Amelia was a bit smaller than Filia with short, raven black hair that came out in wings. He deep blue eyes sparkled as she stopped in front of Filia's desk. She laid a file down on the top of the table before replying, "She struck again chief. This time the Maxwell diamond brooch. What next?"

Filia sighed as she looked over the file and stopped when she got to a picture of Lina. "To think she was one of our best agents...how far she has fallen."

Amelia looked at Filia before replying, "Don't worry chief we'll catch her sooner or later. Oh...by the way I finally found that guy you wanted to talk to...or I at least found his last known address."

For the first time in almost a month a smile brightened her face as she said, "That's wonderful Amelia! Now we might be able to stop Lina in her tracks if we can get his help."

"What is so important about him? I mean me and Gourry might not be as quick as Lina but we'll get her," Amelia replied with a little bit of pride.

Filia smiled and remarked, "I know you are capable Amelia but you have to understand...if anyone can take on Lina Inverse it is Zelgadis Greywords. And, before you ask the reason for him is because he was said to be the only agent to outdo Lina."

Amelia's eyes opened wide before she asked, "How is that possible? I didn't think anyone from the old crew could have kept up with Lina."

"Zelgadis Greywords could. He was originally a kid thief and said to be quite a prodigy at that. But, he was finally caught and instead of going to juvenile hall he came to work for us. After years of training he began a lead detective but he did not connect with anyone that we assigned him as a partner."

Amelia's eyes brightened as she remembered, "So he is the fabled lone wolf of Acme. I never knew his name just his title."

Filia nodded before replying, "Yes, he earned the name because he was very skilled but always worked alone. Then came Lina...she was full of energy and did not know the meaning of the words give in. My father decided that if anyone could get under Zelgadis' skin and get him to work with a partner it was Lina. So they were grouped as partners. At first everything went as normal...Lina tried to get to know Zelgadis and Zelgadis would just ignore her like he did all of his previous partners. But, this time his partner fought back. It was like a war zone in their shared office for weeks as two stubborn people battled each other...but finally Lina won out."

Amelia's eyes shone at the story before she asked, "What happened after that?"

Filia laughed before replying, "They became like a well oiled machine. For a few years there wasn't a case those two couldn't crack. After a while it was rumored that they were more than just partners...but that was dispelled a month later."

Amelia then sighed and said, "She betrayed Acme and Zelgadis...didn't she?"

Filia hung her head and sighed, "Yes, she left and gave our codes to another criminal and the next thing we knew we received three bombs all at once. Because of her I lost my father and one of our best agents all in the same month."

"You mean Zelgadis left soon after the attack," Amelia asked now very curious about the former agent.

"He was injured...in on ways than one, in the attack. He was sent to the hospital and soon after we received word that he had checked himself out. When we got to his room he left a letter saying not to come looking for him, and he disappeared into nothingness for these past six years. So while Lina's been robbing and getting bolder; Zelgadis Greywords is slipping into obscurity. But, if he is at this address then we have a chance of bringing him back," Filia replied as she picked up the phone and dialed an extension number.

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up with the answer, "Acme Detective agency...this is Samantha how can I direct your call."

"Hi Samantha, this is Filia I need you to book two tickets to Boston," Filia replied before saying goodbye and hanging up.

"Why did you get two tickets," Amelia asked while looking at Filia.

"Because your coming with me," Filia replied as she flipped through Zelgadis' case file once again.

* * *

Lina sighed as she sat in a comfy easy chair on board her moving hideout of a small ship. She took a sip from her wine glass as she continued to stare into nothing. "Miss Inverse is there something wrong," asked her butler as he brought her another glass of wine.

Lina blinked as she came back to herself and said, "No...no Gregory. I guess I'm just thinking a little too much tonight."

"Thinking about how he hasn't come after you yet," came a mocking voice from the other side of the room.

Lina glared at the dark corner before yelling, "Xellos if I want your opinion then I'll beat it out of you!"

Xellos chuckled as he stood off the wall. He moved towards Lina before smiling and continuing, "But, it's true. All of these small time jobs are just to try and get both his and Acme's attention. You want him to chase you...to play your little game. But, have you stopped to consider that maybe he died in that bombing on Acme years ago?"

Lina's eyes blazed with anger before she replied, "No! He is too strong to be taken out by some no account bomber. He is alive and he is out there now I just need to make him interested in the hunt."

Xellos smirked as he could still see the admiration for her former partner in Lina's eyes. He could hear a tone of praise in her voice whenever she talked about the man that had been a partner and a teacher to her. "If he did survive then why hasn't he come after us? You know a possibility and you're afraid that you have caused it. You're afraid that your betrayal broke his spirit...that this strong man that you still admire was broken into something not worth respecting."

"Shut Up," Lina shouted before throwing her glass at Xellos.

Xellos quickly moved his cane up and used it's momentum to block the glass without breaking the fragile object. He carefully rolled the glass down the cane and into his hand before holding up the glass and replying, "Now, now don't take your anger out on the glassware. If you want to keep dreaming about this then I won't get in your way. I just hope you realize that there are those of us in the organization that are getting tired of this," before walking off into the darkness.

Lina glared at Xellos back before looking away and thinking, 'He's out there...and he'll come don't you worry. I know you better than they do Zel and I know you'll be back...and I'll be waiting.'

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Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to size=1 width=100% noshade> 


	3. A Wolf No More

**Where in the World is Lina Inverse**

**Chapter: 2**

**A Wolf No More**

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Well what can I say other than I got the want to start this one up again. I was originally going to make it more towards the Carmen Sandeigo show...kind of happy and no real true violence or anything like that...but I think I'm going to put a bit of a film noir twist to it. Bring it a bit back down to earth while at the same time keeping some tradmarks from the old show. That and I'm playing with the ages of the Slayers group. I'm playing Lina off as if she were about twenty-one year of age, Zel about twenty-three, and Amelia at about nineteen.

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Filia sat in the back seat of a Buick as the driver continued down the street. The car made its way deeper into the heart of the city of Boston as the two women inside watched the buildings go by. "Well, looks like he choose a nice place to disappear to," Amelia piped up about the city.

Filia sighed, "He didn't care about what the place looked like...just the population."

Amelia looked at Filia before asking, "What do you mean by that?"

"I was one of Zelgadis' main rules of hiding. If you want to disappear then do it in plain sight. Pick a place that is heavily populated and use the crowds to your advantage," Filia replied as the car came to a stop.

Both Filia and Amelia looked up at the five floor apartment building that they had stopped at. Filia looked at the sheet of paper she had with the newest information and checked the address. "This is the place...let's hope he hasn't taken off already," Filia said before opening the door and stepping onto the street.

Amelia soon joined the chief before they both walked up the steps and into the lobby of the apartment building. Once inside they were greeted by a man sitting behind a small desk. He smiled at them before saying, "Good day ladies. Are you here to look at renting an apartment?"

Filia pulled her badge from her pocket and said, "We're here about supposed resident of this complex. I belief he lives in unit three hundred and four."

The man thought for a second before snapping and saying, "Ah, yes Mr. Dismas. He is a bit of a recluse but I don't think he has done anything to garner the attentions of Acme."

Filia chuckled slightly at the name before saying, "That's the guy alright. Could you please give me the spare key?"

"Of course," the man handed over the key to room three hundred and four before showing the agents to the elevator.

"What was so funny back there," Amelia asked as they rode the elevator up to the third floor.

"The name is just too ironic and I'm sure Zelgadis choose that name as part of a joke. The name Dismas was given to repentant thieves who accepted Christianity and our man is a repentant thief," Filia replied feeling good that the shape sense of humor was still present.

'That means we might be able to bring him back,' Filia thought as the elevator doors opened onto the third floor.

After walking down the hall for a moment both agents found themselves in front of the door labeled three hundred and four. Filia cleared her throat before knocking and saying, "Zelgadis Greywords...this is Filia Ul Copt. I need to speak with you."

A few minutes passed and there was no answer; not even the sound of moment inside the apartment. "Maybe our information was bad...or he moved on," Amelia replied.

Filia took a deep breath and said, "Zelgadis I'm opening the door...I'm coming in," before unlocking the door and opening it.

As the door opened both agents were hit with the overpowering smell of stagnant air and old beer. I smelled as if the owner had left a open six pack out and then allowed the smell to permeate throughout the area. The pungent and tart scent seemed to rust right to the nose and making the eyes wish to tear up just at the hint of the smell. Filia pulled out a piece of tissue from her purse and placed it over her nose. 'This isn't good...if its like this then we might have our work cut out for us,' she thought as she slowly moved into the room with Amelia trailing behind her.

Once inside they were greeted to bottles strewn about the apartment. Bottles that either still did or used to contain some of the strongest alcohols either of the two had seen. Old pizza and chinese takeout boxes littered the den area but still no sign of human life could be found. After a moment Filia's eyes caught sight of human sized lump of comforter on the coach in the back of the room. She moved forward, while trying to step in the few patches of floor space that were not covered by bottles. She stopped right in front of the couch and said, "Zelgadis."

The lump moved slightly before she heard a muffled, "Go away."

Filia was about to continue when she heard, "Hey someone is actually visiting that Dismas guy," from down the hall.

Filia turned and said, "Amelia go outside, shut the door, and keep the on-lookers out of here."

Amelia nodded before closing the door behind her. 'That and I don't think Zelgadis will react too well with someone he doesn't know,' she thought before kneeling down in front of the couch.

She placed a hand on top of the lump before lightly shaking, like a mother trying to wake a child, and said lowly, "Zelgadis...please listen to me. We need your help...we can't stop her we just don't have the experience needed...Acme needs you."

There came what sounded like a huff from the lump before it replied, "I'm not an agent and I don't plan on returning...just leave me alone."

Filia greeted her teeth before she grabbed the top of the lump and pull. "Do you think you are the only one that suffered," Filia shouted as tear came to her eyes, "My father died in that attack. I lost the only family I had. Do you think that I didn't suffer because of her betrayal...Did you think that you are the only one that wanted to just roll over and die...Answer me?"

Filia's tear soaked eyes looked down upon the man that used to be known as the wolf of Acme in shock. His once pristine looks where gone. Where once there was a perfectly shaved face now grew a disheveled and unkempt light beard. The sharp, sapphire, blue eyes that once could strike fear in criminals were now dull and unfocused with almost a dead, gray hue to them. The once manicured hair cut was replaced with long, unkempt, and ratty looking locks of blue. This was not the young man that Filia remembered. This was not the stalker of the shadows that had been brought to Acme to work off his crimes. This was a picture of a man that had been broken in spirit. Filia looked down at Zelgadis for a moment before saying, "Please...come back to us. We need you."

Zelgadis looked away before he replied lowly, "What use would a broken man serve for Acme. Just leave me be and let your agents that still believe do the job."

"I wish I could," Filia replied before continuing, "But, most of my agents are very green. They don't know how to think, they don't know Lina's tactics, and they don't know to look at a crime like a thief does. I need you Zelgadis. Help me catch Lina. Both of us can have our revenge and then you can disappear once again."

Zelgadis rolled over, facing his back towards Filia, before saying, "Vengeance only begets Vengeance and that is all. Nothing is solved by it."

Filia ground her teeth. She pulled out a small list and began to read, "The Maxwell Diamond, The Wellington Tiara, The prized Winchester Rifle used by Billy the Kid owned by Norman Sexton, and The Devil's Eye Ruby on loan to the Museum of History in New York. This are all small jobs way beyond the caliber that she is capable. Lina is not a Robin Hood type to steal from only the rich. Why is she doing this and not going after larger game?"

Filia saw Zelgadis roll over and a bit of the sharpness was back in his eyes. He thought for a moment before saying, "Either she is testing the group of informants that she has employed or she is trying to lure someone into a game of chess so to speak."

Filia slightly before saying, "There is only one person she would want to have a match of wits with...She's waiting on you."

Zelgadis huffed before saying, "Probably to goad over the fact that she made a fool of me."

"Then prove her wrong Zelgadis. Show her the reason the name Greywords was feared in the world before you were caught. Take back the pride you once had," Filia all but screamed at the former agent trying to get any kind of rise out of him.

Zelgadis looked at Filia and asked, "You are that desperate aren't you? Fine, I'll help you this one time...but after this I am done."

"Thank you," Filia smiled as she looked down feeling as if she would collapse from her emotional outpour.

"Go back to your car and I'll be along once I am a little more presentable," Zelgadis replied as he sat up.

Filia nodded and headed out the door.

* * *

Filia and Amelia waited outside the car for Zelgadis to join them. At just an hour after leaving the room the man that Filia knew hobbled out the door. He held a cane in his right hand and leaned on it whenever he put weight on the right leg. He made his way to the two agents before Filia asked, "I didn't know you had to use a cane."

"Well, that's what happens when there are pieces of shrapnel from the bomb are still in my leg. The doctors couldn't find them all so my leg strength isn't what it used to be," Zelgadis replied as he stopped in front of the two.

He looked at Filia and the other girl before saying, "We can catch up while in the car. We don't have time to spare...Lina will strike again soon."

Filia nodded and opened the door to allow Zelgadis to enter. After all three were in the car the driver took off to fairy them to the airport.

* * *

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to size=1 width=100% noshade> 


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